Automatic control fob centrifugal separators



G. M. BACON.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOBS.

' APPLICATiON 'FlL ED APR. 6, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEE[ I C1 Hoz "2-1 8 'e. M. BACON.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6.1917.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' avwemlioz eozgyemacaiz attoznugs UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

GEORGE M. BACON, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR CENTRTFUGAL SEPARATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent. .Patented N 1i 1919.

Application filed April 6, 1917. Serial No. 160,286.

' cation.

The present invention relates to centrifugal separators, and more particularly to an improved means for controlling the passage of the heavier substances from the periphery of the bowl or drum.

An object of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separator with aplurality of valves of the rotary type in the periphery of the drum thereof, and to provide means for varying the speed of rotation of the valves to feed the material from the periphery of the drum at a proportionate rate of delivery corresponding to the rate of deposit of the material against the inner wall of the drum.

The invention further aims at the provision of a mechanism or device of this character which comprises relatively few parts, which is automatic in action, and which is applicable to all types of separators provided with valves in the outer wall or drum thereof.

The above, and various other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part understood, and in part described, from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical section, one-half of the same being shown partly in elevation of a centrifugal separator constructed according to the present invention and embodying the automatic controlling features.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, partly broken away, showing the arrange ment of the peripheral valves and one of the governors employed. l I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, enlarged. of the locking means for the drum.

Referring to these drawings wherein like parts are designated by similar characters of reference in both of the views, 10 designates the wall or body of a drum which is relatively thick, and which is provided, at;

suitably spaced-apart points in the circumference thereof, with radially extending ways 11 through which material deposited in the drum is adapted to be fed. The outer portions of the ways 11 are substantially of cylindrical formation to receive therein, in each way. a rotary valve 12 provided with a plurality of pockets 13 in the sides thereofradapted to receive the material from the interior of the drum, and to dischargeihe material eXteriorly of the Each valve 12 is mounted upon a drum. stem or shaft ll which projects upwardly from the wall 12, and which has upon its upper end a gear wheel 15. The gear wheels 15 are arranged substantially in the same horizontal planeand spaced slightly above the top of the drum.

The body of the drum 10 is provided with top and bottom plates 16 and 17. The plates 16 and 17 are mountedupon a central hub portion 18 provided in its lower end with inlet passages'19 and in its upper end with outlet passages 20. The lower end of the hub portion 18 is suitably mounted in a stepped bearing 21 which comprises the base or support for the separator. A large gear wheel 22 is secured to the lower end of the hub portion 18 and meshes at one side with a pinion 23 carried upon a drive shaft 24;. The shaft 21 is mounted in a suitable bearing 25 beneath the drum or bowl of the separator, and is provided with. any suitable means, not shown. The hub portion 18 is connected at its upper end to an outlet spout 26'of substantially elbow shape, and which has one portion extending radially outward and over the separator. A trough 27 is arranged cent-rally around the drum and is inclined toward one side thereof and empties into a discharge 28 which leads to any suitable source of delivery.

The gear wheels 15, arranged on top of the drum 10, are adapted to mesh with a segmental rack bar 29 which is carried upon the outer surface of a ring or annulus 30 mounted on top of the drumlO and adapted to'turn thereover. The segmental rack bar 29 is relatively short, and is adapted to engage but relatively few of the gear wheels 15 at a time, two gear wheels 15 being shown in the present instance. The ring 30 is relatively wide and heavy and is adapted to normally travel with the drum 10 by therewith. The drum 10 is provided upon its top plate 15, with a second ring or annulus 31 which is relatively thinand light,

'virtue of its weight and frictional contact.

and which is arranged concentrically within the ring 30. The rings and 31 are provided upon their opposite adjacent faces with respective interior and exterior racks 32 and 33 which extend entirely around the rings 30 and 31 and are adapted to mesh at diametrically opposed points with one or more pinions 34 which are interposed between the rings 30 and 31, and which are mounted to turn upon spindles 35 which are mounted in fixed bearings 36. The bearings 36 are supported in arms 37 which rise from the base or ground at the sides of the drum 10, and overhang the rings 30 and 31. Ball bearings 38, or the like, are interposed between the rings 30 and 31 and the top plate 16 of the drum. The inner ring 31 is provided with a relatively small pinion 39 meshing with the external rack 34 thereof, and which is supported upon a stem 40 projecting downwardly into the drum. The stem 40 has bearing in the top and bottom plates 16 and 17, and is provided intermediately with one or more blades 41 adapted to engage in the material deposited within the drum. In the present instance, the blade 41 is disclosed in the form of a spiral member which is relatively broad. The stem 40 with its blade 41 forms a governor or controlling device adapted to turn in the mass of material deposited in the drum, and to be regulated in its turning movement by the resistance offered by the material. The stem 40 and the blade 41 therefor form a governor, and any number of these governors may be employed, for instance, four, as

shown in the present drawings.

If desired, the outer ring 30 may be locked l for rotation with th e drum 10 by the pro vision of a sliding bolt 42 arranged radially at one side of the drum and between adjacent gear wheels 15, and provided with a headed inner end adapted for engagement with the exterior surface of the ring 30. The bolt 42 is slidably mounted in a casing or hearing 43 in which is placed a spring 4-1, the 'latter having connection with the bolt 42 for urging the latter away from the ring 30 to release the same. The casing 43 is also provided with a circumferentially rocking lever 45 suitably pivoted to the casing and provided upon its upperend with a head 46 and adapted for engagement at its lower end in a transversely formed slot 47 formed intermediate of the bolt 42. The bolt 42 projects outwardly beyond the casing 43 and is adapted for engagement with the hand, or the like, for urging the bolt inwardly against the tension of the spring 44, and to lock the ring 30 to the drum. Means for releasing the bolt 42 may be provided, and is preferably mounted upon one of the overhanging arms 37. The means in the present instance is shown in the form of a lever 48 pivoted at 49 upon the arm 37 and having one end extending downwardly and adapted to be moved into the path of the head 46 of the releasing member 45, and having its opposite end extending outwardly and downwardly to be grasped by the hand for shitt ing the lever 48.

The operation of the machine, and the automatic control is as follows: v

\Vhen the shaft 24 is rotated the pinion 23 rotates the large gear wheel 22 and turns the drum 10. The material is fed upwardly through the lower end of the hub portion 18 into the body of the drum and, by centrifugal force, is drawn against the wall 10 of the drum.. Initially, the bolt 42 is forced against the ring 30 and held in such position by the locking lever 45 to hold the ring 30 for rotation with the drum 10. As the ring 30 turns with the drum 10, the segmental rack bar 2 9 is held from movement, and

consequently the rotary valves 12 are not turned. The material deposited in the drum therefore accumulates against the peripheral wall thereof. As the ring 30 is held from rotation, and as the pinion 34 is mounted on a fixed pin or shaft 35, the inner ring 31 is rotated in a reverse direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. This rotation of the inner ring 31 causes the one or more governors to turn, and as soon as the blades 41 of the governors are engaged by the rela tively heavy material which is deposited in the drum 10, the rotation of the governors is reduced in speed. As soon, however, as the material has begun-to deposit against the peripheral wall of the drum 10, the hand lever 48 is swung into position to engage the locking lever 45 and release the same from the bolt ,42. The spring 44 immediately retracts the bolt 42 and releases the outer ring 30 lVhen the governor is retarded in its rotary movement, the speed of the inner ring 31 is therefore reduced with the effect of in creasing the forward speed of the outer ring 30 to move the, same at a greater rate of speed, and in the same direction, than the drum 10. This movement of the outer ring 13 with respect to the drum 10 moves the segmental rack 29 into engage ment with the gear wheels 15, two gear wheels at a time. to operate the valves tor releasing the material deposited in the drum. It is of course apparent, that as the material increases in depth from the periphery of the drum inwardly, the speed of rotation of the one or more governors is accordingly reduced so that the outer ring 30 is automatically increased in speed as compared with that of the drum, and consequently the valves 12 are opened at less intervals of time. The governors therefore control the opening of the valves 12 and thus rapidly discharge the material when the latter accumulates rapidly in the drum.

It is of course understood that the governors may be of any desired construction for engagement with the material accumulated in the drum to impede the rotation of the governors proportionately to the increase in the amount of materialdeposited in the drum.

Various other changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction of the above-specifically described embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim 1. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotary drum, movable valves in the periphery of the drum controlling the. discharge of material therefrom, and normally movable means arranged in the drum adapted to be more or less retarded in movement by the density of the material in the drum and having connection with the valves for operating the same proportionately to the density of the material.

3. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of rotating drum, means for feeding material to the drum, valves arranged in the periphery of the drum for regulating the discharge of material therefrom, operating means for the valves, and a rotary governor arranged in the drum for immersion in the material deposited thereinto effect the opening of the valves proportionately to the density of the material deposited in the drum.

3. In a centrifugal separator,the combination of a rotating drum, a plurality of valves arranged in the periphery of the drum for controlling the passage of material from the drum, operating means for the valves; and a normally rotating governor connected to the operating means and arranged within the drum for immersion in the material therein to retard the rotation of the governor and accelerate the opening of the valves proportionately tothe density of material deposited "int-he drum.

4. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotating drum, a plurality of valves arranged in the periphery of the drum for controlling the passage of mate rial therefrom, operating means for the valves. and normally rotating governors arranged within the drum for immersion in the material to accelerate the opening of the valves proportionately to the density of the material deposited in the drum.

In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotating drum, a plurality ofv valves arranged in the periphery of the drum for controlling the discharge of material therefrom, a member movable with the drum having connection with said valves, a srovcrnor arranged within the drum for conact with the material,- and aeonnection between said governor and said movable member for accelerating the operation of the latter with respect to the drum to actuate the valves proportionately to the amount of material accumulated in the drum.

6. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotating drum, discharging means arranged in the periphery of the drum, and

a normally continuously moving automatic 7. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotating drum, a pair of concentric rings mounted to turn upon the drum, a gear wheel arranged between said rings for connecting the same, a stationary support for said gear wheel, a plurality of rotating valve elements arranged in the periphery of the drum for controlling the passage of material therethrough, gear wheels carried by said valve elements and engaging one of said rings, and a governor arrange within the drum and connected to the opposite ring, the rotation of said drum being adapted to carry said valve elements and the rings connected therewith to rotate the opposite ring and the governor in reverse directions, said governor being adapted to be retarded in its speed of rotation by the accumulation of material in the drum whereby said second ring is adapted to impart advance movementto the first ring for operating said valve elements.

8. In a centrifugal separator, the combi nation of a rotating drum, a pair of concentric rings rotatably mounted on the upper side of the drum, a plurality of rotary valves carried in the periphery of the drum for controlling the passage of material therethrough, a connection between said rotary valves and one of said rings. a rotary governor mounted in the drum and having connection with the opposite ring, and a stationary gear wheel mounted over the drunr for engagement with the said ring to move the same in opposite directions.

9. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotating drum, a plurality of rotary valves arranged in the periphery of the drum, gear wheels carried by said valves, an outer rin meshing with said gear wheels, an inner ring, a stationary gear wheel con necting said inner and outer rings, a spindle mounted within the drum, a blade carried by the spindle adapted to engage the material, in the drum, a gear wheel on said spindle adapted to mesh with said second ring, and means for locking said first ring to the drum.

10. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotating drum, rotary valves arranged in the periphery of the drum, gear wheels connected to said YalYes, an outer rin provided with a segmental rack bar at one side adapted for engagement with said gear wheels, several at a time, a second ring, a fixed bearing overhanging said ring, a spindle depending from the bearing, a gear wheel mounted on the spindle and adapted for interineshing engagement with said rin to direct the same in opposite directions, a rotatable governor mounted in said drum a gear wheel connected to said governor and meshing with the second rin said first ring being adapted to travel with the drum, and said second ring being adapted to advance the rotation of the first ring with respect to the drum upon the retarding of the speed of the governor by material deposited in the drum 11. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotating drum, means for 'leeding material through the drunn rotary valves arranged in the periphery of the drum for discharging the material there from, concentric rings rotatably mounted upon the drum, fixed gear wheels connecting said rings to turn the same in opposite directions, one of said rings having connection with said rotary valves to actuate the same upon the relative turning lllOVOlllGIlt Of said rings to the drum, means for locking said rings-to the drum, and a n1aterial-controlled governor arranged within the drum and connected to the opposite ring for retarding the rotation thereof and advancing the morement of said first ring when released.

GEORGE M. Bacon; 

